Notify Me of New Events

Health Effects

How Tobacco Harms Your Health

The health risks of smoking and using other forms of tobacco make up a long list. Find out what side effects you may be facing if you decide to smoke.

Short-Term Side Effects

Using tobacco can deliver feelings of relaxation at first, but its immediate physical effects are anything but that:

Your heart rate increases

Your breathing gets shorter and faster

Your blood pressure goes up

Why these symptoms?

Smoking is the fastest way for nicotine (and other harmful substances in tobacco smoke) to enter your body. That’s because there’s a large amount of surface area in your lungs thanks to millions of tiny air sacs called alveoli. These alveoli are surrounded by blood vessels that act as the gateway to your bloodstream. Once absorbed, nicotine acts on the nervous system and heart to produce the symptoms listed above. See how a former tobacco scientist explains nicotine and addiction.